Pakistan beats Bangladesh by innings and 44 runs in 1st test
RAWALPINDI: Pakistan didn't need teenage paceman Naseem Shah on Monday as it finished off a resounding innings and 44-run victory over Bangladesh on the fourth day of the first test.
Bangladesh, which needed 86 runs to avoid innings defeat with only four wickets in hand when it resumed, was bowled out for 168 within 1 1/2 hours.
“Our bowlers stuck to their tasks and bowled with a lot of patience. It was a great job to bowl them out for 233 (in first innings) that setup the match for us," Pakistan captain Azhar Ali said, adding that “Naseem Shah needs to be congratulated for performing a hat-trick at such a young age."
The 16-year-old Naseem didn't bowl on day four after leaving the field Sunday with sore left ribs shortly after becoming the youngest bowler in test cricket history to take a hat-trick. He finished the innings with figures of 4-26.
“I had a muscle pull but the scan is clear, I should be able to resume bowling in two days," Naseem said after receiving his man-of-the-match award. “Picking up a hat-trick in front of your home crowd is special. I only hope I will be able to live up to the expectation of fans and team-mates.”
Leg-spinner Yasir Shah returned 4-58 in the second innings after left-arm fast bowler Shaheen Afridi (1-39) had trapped captain Mominul Haque (41) leg before wicket in the first over of the day.
“We didn't bat well in both innings on a flat wicket and it was a disappointing performance," Mominul said. “No team can come back from such situations."
Liton Das (29) and Rubel Hossain (5) frustrated Pakistan for nearly an hour before Mohammad Abbas (1-33) had Rubel lbw. Yasir wrapped up the match by removing Liton and Abu Jayed (3) in successive overs.
Pakistan, with 140 points, is in No 4 place in the ICC World Test Championship behind India (360), Australia (296) and England (146).
Bangladesh is last in the nine-team WTC after it was beaten by an innings for the fifth time in the last six test matches.
Bangladesh returns to Pakistan in April to play the second test of the series and a one-off ODI at Karachi.
Last month, Bangladesh agreed to split the tour to Pakistan into three phases because of its security concerns. It lost the Twenty20 series at Lahore 2-0.